Question

Is there any relevance of this poem to the present scenario?

Answer 1

Yes, the poem is relevant even today. Patriot into Traitor’ is a realistic depiction of the dilemma of our contemporary political scenario of the Third World countries where mass- illiteracy, political instability, economic deprivation, institutional frailty, and democratic immaturity create the vacuum and in come the military coups, many times with the spilling of the blood cheaper than water. It is how these countries turn into blasted heath of Shakespeare’s Macbeth and the witches enjoy the scene there for fair is foul and foul is fair there. The heroes of yester year turn into villains of today.
The first scene presented through this dramatic monologue is that of joy and jollity. The leader is being welcomed by all and his whole way is decked with rose-petals and myrtles. People have gathered there to greet him and roofs and walls rock and seem to sag underneath their load. Their noise fills the air with jingling heaviness. The minarets of churches seem to be ablaze as the flags of all the incendiary colours flutter there. But it is the scene of one year back. If he had asked them to turn the impossible into possible, they would have done so but he himself jumped at the sun for them and whatever he is reaping today is of this tragic flaw
He is handcuffed and people are stoning him almost to death. He bleeds and is being taken to the gallows through the deserted streets. People gather there to enjoy the scene of his being hanged. So it is God who is to reward him in the life-hereafter. We witness these scenes everyday in the Third World countries.